From The Peopling of New York City
A Walk on the Beach, Staten Island
Staten Island has been given the gift of being surrounded by water. The beaches of Staten Island provide a good escape from New York's concrete jungle. It's a break from the normal and hectic life of NYC. Midland and South Beach are two of the more popular beach destinations here on the island.
Let's Take it From The Top
View of the Verrazano Bridge from the South Beach. Photo by Amira Hassan. The history of the beaches of Staten Island goes all the way back to the first settlements. South Beach was the first enduring settlement on Staten Island, initially given the name of "Oude Dorp" which is Dutch for ‘Old Village’. This little colony located at the shore end of Ocean Avenue, on the banks of Old Town Creek, was established in August 1661. The old adage, "Location is everything," holds true to South Beach. South Beach happens to be situated to the south of the Staten Island side of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. East of South Beach is Hoffman Island, and Swinburne Island. Midland beach, formerly known as “Woodland Beach”, was named Midland Beach because it’s located center or “middle” of Staten Island, or the East Shore. To its west is Grant City, to its south lies New Dorp Beach with Graham Beach and South Beach borders it to the North.
The Pride of The Island
Midland Beach. Photo by Amira Hassan. The Staten Island Boardwalk is the talk of the town. It is 1.7 miles, runs across South Beach and feeds a little into Midland Beach as well. It is known as the “center of fun” here on the island. Borough president, James P. Molinaro, always holds festivals, concerts, and other events out on the boardwalk and all of Staten Island is invited. Not to mention, it’s a family attraction. Along the beach are many playgrounds, roller hockey rinks, shuffleboard, bocce courts, and ball fields. There are even picnic areas as well as a fountain that lies at the North end of the boardwalk, called Dolphin Fountain. Many Staten Islanders view the fountain as an iconic symbol that depicts the island for the island that it is. There is also plenty of fishing along the beach. Many fisherman head to the Ocean Breeze Fishing Pier, which, at 835 feet long, is one of the longest in the entire city of New York.
Words of The Wise
With all of what South Beach and Midland Beach have to offer, I wondered, what do the people of Staten Island think of the beach and the Boardwalk? To find answers, one must have a plan. My plan consisted of conducting a survey at the location of interest itself, the Staten Island Boardwalk in South Beach, which I supplemented with a few interviews with Staten Island college students and an anonymous online poll.
Meet Me Half Way
South Beach. Photo by Amira Hassan. It was important for me to find out if distance away from the Boardwalk affected the number of people who go there. 20 out of 30 people, the majority of the group lived very close, anywhere between 1 to 5 miles away from the Boardwalk. Seven people lived 6 to 10 miles away and only 3 people lives more than 10 miles away from. Interestingly enough, at least 5 out of the 30 people interviewed came all the way from Brooklyn. This should come as no surprise due to the fact that the Boardwalk is right off the Verrazano Bridge and offers those living in Brooklyn a good escape from crowded Brooklyn streets. One person even said, “It’s a good feeling to know you’re just one bus away from this beautiful new world almost--The view is wonderful and the people of Staten Island are definitely tolerable.”
Paint a Picture
What the water washed onto the beach, Midland Beach. Photo by Amira Hassan. When asked to describe the Boardwalk, some of the most popular adjectives used were: crowded, ‘Staten Island’, and the best thing about this Island. About 12 people claimed that the Boardwalk sums up what Staten Island is really about. I did not fully understand what this person was talking about but I had a feeling he was on to something. 10 people said that it was clean, peaceful, and even calm. As for the minority of the group, 8 people said it was abandoned, mistreated and taken for granted. The beaches of Staten Island have always been looked at and questioned. They have been criticized for being boring, and having nothing to offer, while others view it as the beauty, the diamond in the crown of this island. “I think there should be more attention paid to these beaches here, it is what makes us different from the other boroughs.” This is exactly what a few people said about how it is what makes Staten Island, Staten Island.
Yes or No
I conducted an online poll requesting a yes or no answer to three very simple questions. I stopped the poll after 50 people, and my results were just as I suspected. 35% agreed that the Staten Island Boardwalk is clean, 45% answered yes that the Boardwalk was properly taken care of, and 39% claimed they found there were ample things to do on the beach. In other words, the yes or no responses were nearly fifty-fifty.
You Change Like the Weather
Staten Islanders seem to have a love-hate relationship with themselves. Because even though almost half of the people find there isn’t much to do at the beach or on the boardwalk, the majority of Staten Islanders would not leave the boardwalk to go somewhere else. Some of them think the Boardwalk isn’t getting the appreciation it deserves while others think it’s not clean and not taken care of properly. The island, in my opinion, is still trying to form its identity, and as the seasons change, the opinions and thoughts of the island change with it.
That's a Wrap!
Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys once said, “On the beach, you can live in bliss.”
Rocks along South Beach. Photo by Amira Hassan. Just like the boardwalk, Staten Island could be both a lonely or crowded place, the view is good but sometimes it’s hard to find something to do, it’s a nice place to live at but sometimes you want to leave. Staten Island is the odd child out of the rest of the city boroughs, but I think in time, everyone will see and appreciate Staten Island for what it always has been. Perhaps all we need is a nice walk on the beach, a walk along the beaches of Staten Island.
Sources
- McCormick, Robert. "Staten Island Neighborhoods: East Shore." Staten Island Beaches See 41 Percent Fewer Visitors in This 'year without a Summer' Staten Island Live, 30th July 2009. Web. 2 Apr. 2010. <www.silive.com>.
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